The Better Man
by Lily1986
Summary: Grant Ward and Lance Hunter are trapped in the rubble of a collapsing building. The two men have to work together to survive. The fact that they're both in love with the same woman only further complicates things. Future Skyelance/Skyeward Fic.


**A.N: **I wrote this based on a head canon that I had while answering some messages on my blog and then I thought, why the hell not... let me turned that into a fic... So this is a future fic where Skye and Lance are in a relationship and have been in a relationship for some time. I don't hate Lance. I actually adore him. And I don't hate the idea of Skye and Lance. Do I think the show will go in that direction? Maybe... let see how Chloe and Nick's chemistry is cause right now it's nonexistent but if they do decide to go there, I can't bring myself to hate it. With that said, you have not been fooled. This is still 100% a Skyeward fic. This is not a cheating fic. It's a bit more complicated than that. But I hope you enjoy it. It's just a scenario that I imagined happening in a future episode a long, long way down the road. Enjoy!

* * *

This was not how the mission was supposed to go. It wasn't supposed to be combat op. But it usually never is. Except it always turns out to be exactly that. He should have expected it. They all should have. Ward looked around at the fallen debris and coughed. The building had collapsed on top of them. He wasn't alone though. At least he hoped he wasn't alone now.

"Hunter!"

He quietly tried to listen for any sign of life from the other man.

"You need to speak up, Hunter! I can't find you if you don't speak up…" Ward coughed again. The dust and soot surrounding him was driving him crazy. "Damn it, Hunter…"

"I'm over here," a low voice called out softly to him.

Ward sprinted into action and found him pinned down by a cement block.

"Hey mate," Lance greeted with a smug smile. "Fancy meeting you here…"

"Shut up, Hunter," Ward mumbled. "We have to get this thing off."

"Oh this… nah, I'm pretty sure my leg's broken and if you remove this, I'm going to feel the bloody pain," he shook his head.

Ward frowned. "On three… you ready?"

Lance nodded.

"1… 2…" Ward positioned himself to lift the cement off him. "… 3…"

Both men tried to push and pull the cement block but it wouldn't budge. Ward relaxed his hold and groaned.

"It's no use, mate," Lance mumbled. "I'm pretty much stuck here unless you can call up Bruce Banner for me…"

Ward shook his head, sitting down and leaning against the block of cement. "I just gotta find something to move it." He looked around spotting a metal rod and jumped up to get it. "Okay, let's try this again…" With the metal rod and few attempts, Ward was able to push off the cement block long enough for Lance to slide himself out.

"Thanks," Lance muttered. "What the hell happened?"

"Bomb…" Ward shrugged. "Caved the entire building in. I'm guessing we're still in the basement."

"Probably what saved us," Lance mumbled.

"Comms are down too," Ward offered. "I've been trying to call out but… nothing…"

"We're buried under who knows how many feet of rock and debris," Lance shrugged. "I didn't expect it to work."

"We have to get out of here," Ward continued ignoring him. "The building is probably unstable."

"Not like I can walk," Lance pointed at his leg.

"I'll carry you," Ward offered.

"That's very romantic of you and all but where do you suppose we should go?" Lance asked. "Unless you know a secret way out and haven't shared with the class yet…"

Ward shook his head. "We'll figure it out."

"While you do that…" Lance folded his hands behind his head. "I'm going to take a nap…"

"You're useless," Ward muttered before walking to the other end of the basement.

Lance cracked an eye and scoffed. "I'm injured, mate…"

Ward came back seconds later with a grin. "There's a crack… we can get out through there."

"Where does it lead?"

"Who cares… the point is we can get out… c'mon…"

Ward helped him stand and allowed the other man to lean his body on his.

"You sure about this?" Lance asked.

"No," Ward mumbled. "Not like we have a choice."

* * *

"What the hell happened?" Skye glared at the team.

"The building collapsed…" Simmons started.

"But how?" Skye turned to Coulson.

"Hydra knew we were coming," Coulson frowned. "They were tipped off."

Skye looked around, noticing the entire team wasn't there. "Where are they?"

Coulson shook his head solemnly.

"No…" Skye shook her head. "No… they got out… they're probably on the other side of the building or something… Simmons, prepare a med-evac. We'll get them and bring them back. They might be injured and-"

"Skye…" Simmons started. "We've been trying to reach them on the comms… they're not responding…"

"What are you saying?" she asked, her eyes snapping to Coulson and May.

"I'm sorry, Skye," Coulson told her. "They didn't make it."

* * *

"It was a solid plan, mate. A good effort."

Ward rolled his eyes. "Shut up…"

Lance grinned smugly. "It bothers you that it didn't work…"

"It bothers me that I'm still stuck down here… with you…"

"Yeah well… The feeling's mutual," Lance mumbled before turning to him. "You know… I always thought I would die in a blaze of glory… not suffocating in the basement of a blown up building with my girlfriend's ex."

Ward glanced at him and shrugged. "I never expected to live this long so…"

Lance frowned. "You think they're up there right now…? Trying to get to us?"

Ward nodded. "Yeah I do…"

"Why?"

"Because that's who they are," Ward turned to him with a sad smile.

"You really care about them, don't you?"

"I messed up a long time ago," Ward said. "I'm just lucky that they started trusting me again."

"You've earned it," Lance told him. "You've more than earned it." Ward leaned his head forward and sighed while Lance frowned at him. "You still love her…"

He snapped his neck toward him. "What?"

"Skye…" Lance answered as if it should have been obvious. "You love her…"

"Doesn't matter," Ward mumbled. "You and her are good together… I… I was never any good for her."

"The old you, maybe," Lance agreed. "This you though? I can see why she loves you."

Ward eyed him with confusion.

"Yeah, I know," Lance gave him an easy going shrug. "Why am I with someone who's clearly in love with someone else… I ask myself that every day… sometimes I hope she'll stop… loving you that is… other times I know that's not going to happen… But I really do care about her… I think I might even love her… I wanted to make her happy but… I know I never could… Make her truly happy…"

"I'm sorry," Ward apologized. "I never meant-"

"It's not your fault, mate." Lance smiled. "I'm a big boy. I can handle my heart being broken."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"In case we die," Lance looked up at the lowered ceiling. "I didn't want you to die thinking she doesn't feel the same way."

"Thank you," Ward cracked a smile. "You know, I never liked you."

"Really?" Lance asked with a grin. "I happen to think I'm quite lovable."

Ward shook his head with a laugh. He looked past Lance's shoulder and frowned.

"What is it?" Lance asked.

"An explosion," Ward told him, his eyes frantically snapping back to him.

"An… explosion," Lance repeated slowly. "Yes, that's how we got into this mess."

"And that's how we get out," Ward stood up.

"What the hell are you going on about?"

"I'm going to rig an explosive and cause the entire basement to cave in," Ward explained.

"Hey… wait a minute," Lance spoke louder. "With us inside?"

"Yeah…" Ward nodded with a grin.

"Are you out of your bloody mind?!"

"Relax," Ward rolled his eyes. "I know what I'm doing… bombs were kind of my specialty."

"You've got to be bloody kidding me," Lance growled.

"I need you to get over there away from the blast," Ward told him.

"And how are you going to create a bomb from in here," Lance looked at him and shook his head. "Never mind…"

Ward smirked and nodded toward the other end of the basement signaling Lance to get in position.

* * *

"I'm not leaving!" Skye said. "Not until we've confirmed that they're dead, Coulson. We don't leave anyone behind, remember? That's what the old S.H.I.E.L.D. was known for!"

"Skye…."

"Goddamn it, Coulson!"

"Skye!" May stepped in front of Coulson to block him from the younger girl.

"Stand down, Agent May," Coulson told her. "Skye's right… we need to make sure…"

"Coulson…"

"Leave no man behind, remember?"

May nodded quietly. "I'll see if Fitz has something we can use."

The older agent walked away, leaving Coulson and Skye standing toe to toe.

"I'm sorry," the young girl mumbled. "I shouldn't have disrespected you…"

Coulson shook his head with a smirk. "I'm glad you did. It reminded me of the old you…"

Skye smiled sadly. "I can't accept that they're dead."

"I know," Coulson nodded in understanding. "I'm so sorry…"

An explosion rocked the foundation beneath their feet. Skye turned to watch what was left of the building caving in.

"Oh my God," she stopped breathing. "Oh God…"

Coulson wrapped a protective arm around her. "Fitz! What the hell happened?!"

"I don't know!" Fitz called back.

Coulson turned back to the rubble to and the smoke to see a figure slowly coming toward them. "Skye…"

She looked up to see him moving toward her. She stepped out of Coulson's embrace as he got closer to wrap her arms around his neck when he reached her. She let out a breath of relief and looked over the figure's shoulder, waiting for a second figure to come out of the collapsing building's rubble. She frowned when she didn't see anyone else walking toward them. Taking a step back, she looked up at the frowning face in front of her. "Where's Ward?"

* * *

"Okay… you ready?" Ward asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be…"

"You'll have a few seconds to move… I'll try to buy you as much time as I can, but you really need to move when I tell you to…."

"You sound as if you're not coming along," Lance chuckled before letting his face fall at Ward's expression. "Wait… no…"

Ward shook his head. "There's only going to a be a short window before everything collapses. You'll have enough time to get out. I promise."

"I'm not leaving you here!"

"Hunter…"

"No… we need a new plan… it's okay, we have time, right?"

Ward shook his head. "We're running low on oxygen and the building is already unstable. Either you get out now or we both die in here. And you're… the better man… she deserves to be happy… Promise me you'll make her happy… you'll take care of her for me… Please…"

"No," Lance shook his head. "You self sacrificing son of a bitch! You didn't say that only one of us would be able to get out!"

"I didn't think you'd go along with it if I did."

"You damn right I wouldn't have… Who the hell do you think you are to decide who gets to live and who dies?"

"Usually, when I'm trying to save someone…. They're a little more grateful," Ward narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah well… do you make them choose between their safety and yours too?"

Ward shook his head. "Damn it, Lance."

"Grant, no."

Ward rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Fine."

"We leave together or not at all," Lance said.

"I said FINE," Ward growled.

"Good," Lance nodded. "Now, do your specialty…"

"You're a pain in my ass, you know that?" Ward rolled his eyes.

"I've been told worse, mate."

"Just be ready to move fast."

It only took a few seconds after Ward started the small fire using pieces of rock for the makeshift bomb to go off. Lance was already in position to climb out and he was expecting Ward to be right behind him. Lance's eyes landed on daylight and he quickly climbed out of the hole hobbling away from the building as Ward had instructed him to do. When his eyes connected with hers for the first time, he let out a breath of relief. He hobbled toward her slowly, inhaling her scent as soon as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The entire world was only them. He couldn't think of anything else except for her arms around him.

Skye took a step back, looking up at him. "Where's Ward?" she asked.

He knew what the question would be before she'd asked it. Because he knew he'd been lied to. Ward hadn't been behind him like he said he was.

"Skye," Lance croaked. "I'm sorry…"

Skye's eyes widened. "Ward…"

Lance shook his head.

"No," she shook her head stepping out from around him. The building was crumbling. "We can save him! Fitz! Do you have anything that can help us find him in the rubble…"

"Skye! You can't go in there," Lance took her arm and swung her around toward him. "I'm sorry, luv… but he's gone… he sacrificed himself saving me…" Lance pushed back the hair from her face before holding her against him in a bone crushing hug. "I'm so sorry…"

Skye fought against his embrace before she crumbled in his arms. She felt numb. When Lance's arms wrapped themselves even tighter around her, she let out a choked sob. Lance tried soothing her before looking over her head at Coulson who was standing a few feet away. He shook his head slowly, letting their Director know that one of their own hadn't made it. Coulson stepped toward Skye, taking her from Lance's arms. The young girl cried against Coulson's kevlar vest.

A gasp made Coulson look up. He turned toward Simmons who was standing frozen staring at the rubble that was left behind. Fitz's jaw dropped and May looked like she'd seen a ghost. Coulson turned toward what they were looking at to find another figure slowly making their way out of the rubble. The smoke hadn't cleared yet, but he could still recognize the tall figure walking toward them.

"Skye…" he whispered.

Skye looked up at him before turning her watery gaze toward the direction they were all looking at and gasped. She pushed Coulson off her and ran toward him. He hadn't even reached them yet when she threw herself into his arms. Ward caught her, lifting her off the ground as Skye buried her face in his neck.

Skye tightened her arms around his neck. He looked over her shoulder at Lance who gave him a swift nod. Ward smiled softly before mouthing his gratitude to the ex-mercenary. He turned his attention back on the girl in his arms, taking a deep breath.

"I thought I lost you…" Skye whispered.

"I thought I would never see you again…" Ward told her.

"Don't ever scare me like that again," she mumbled against him.

He smiled softly against her shoulder. "I'll always come back to you, Skye. I'm not going anywhere… Not as long as I could help it."

And he meant it.


End file.
